One Year Later: Egg Regulation Still Scrambled

Remember the salmonella outbreak last year? You know, the one where 1,900 people got sick and a half BILLION Iowa eggs were recalled? Seems like regulations on egg farm safety are still pretty soft boiled. According to Clark Kauffman at The Des Moines Register,

He goes on to report that their investigation showed several major producers aren’t meeting Federal safety standards that relate to preventing salmonella outbreaks. Still, he writes, “None of the violations have resulted in fines or penalties from state or federal agencies, and Iowa’s egg producers still aren’t required to tell state officials when they find salmonella on their farms.”

The worst part for consumers? You might be buying these eggs without knowing it. “Some egg producers refuse to tell government inspectors the brands under which their eggs are being sold to consumers — a refusal that doesn’t result in sanctions of any kind.”

On the other hand (or, shall we say, sunnyside up?), some improvements have been made: The FDA now has the power to recall food products (it used to have to wait for producers to recall them), and they’re inspecting facilities that haven’t been inspected before.

What does this mean for us here in Brooklyn? Don’t let one bad egg spoil the carton: if you know where your eggs are coming from and trust your producer, you’re in great shape. If you don’t, it might be time to do a little hard-boiled detective work. Here’s a roundup of more egg intel posted in the spring.